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Force duo back for Bulls duel

Perth - Sam Wykes and Jayden Hayward will return to the starting line-up when the Western Force tackle the Bulls at NIB Stadium on Saturday.

According to the Force’s official website, Wykes has recovered from a rib injury and returns to the starting pack, alongside second-rower Adam Coleman, who was impressive in his starting debut for the Force against the Melbourne Rebels last weekend.

Lock Wilhelm Steenkamp will provide coverage from the bench in his first appearance against his former team since joining the Force ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season.

Hayward returns to his customary fullback position with Dane Haylett-Petty, who started in the No 15 jersey against the Rebels, moving to the wing.

Prop Kieran Longbottom will become the first Western Australian born-and-raised player to play 50 Super Rugby matches for the Western Force when he takes to the field on Saturday.

Longbottom was a member of the inaugural RugbyWA Academy program in 2006 and went on to make his Super Rugby debut against the Chiefs in Perth in 2008. The 28-year-old has started at tighthead in all eight matches for the Force in 2014.

Kick-off is at 11:40 (SA time) on Saturday.

Teams:

Force:

15. Jayden Hayward, 14. Dane Haylett-Petty, 13. Marcel Brache, 12. Kyle Godwin, 11. Nick Cummins, 10. Sias Ebersohn, 9. Ian Prior, 8.  Ben McCalman, 7. Matt Hodgson (captain), 6. Angus Cottrell, 5. Sam Wykes, 4. Adam Coleman, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 2. Nathan Charles, 1. Pek Cowan

Substitutes: 16. Heath Tessmann, 17. Tetera Faulkner, 18. Ollie Hoskins, 19. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 20. Brynard Stander, 21. Justin Turner, 22. Zack Holmes, 23. Chris Tuatara-Morrison

Bulls:

15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Grant Hattingh, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Wimpie van der Walt, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers
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